In this activity, students conduct an energy audit to determine how much carbon dioxide their family is releasing into the atmosphere and then make recommendations for minimizing their family's carbon footprint.

Activity takes 2-3 class periods. Technology to show a video is necessary.

Teaching Tips

Clarification - sentence in the foreword: "Some scientists believe that this increase is due to greenhouse gases produced through human activities” is incorrect, because "based on data, scientists have concluded that human activities have caused increases in greenhouse gases."

Since consumption is based on formulas with units of power and energy, the educator may have to help students with their calculations.

The educator is asked to set up a blog for student research purposes. Technical help to set that up in advance may be necessary.

The extension activity for a school audit is very highly recommended, including a guided discussion on what energy use means for the school would be really helpful.

To avoid issues of equity, use a sample bill (rather than students' using their own homes).

About the Science

Activity addresses ways of reducing carbon dioxide output and the amount of carbon dioxide emitted for different types of energy.

Comment from Expert Scientist: Each kWh should cost 10 cents not 12 cents to be consistent with the calculation: If a 200-Watt TV were left on 12 hours and each kWh costs 10 CENTS the cost to run the run the TV for all night for one month would be $7.20 (200 Watts for 12 Hours = 2.4 Kilowatt-Hours; 2.4 Kilowatt-Hours x $0.10 per Kilowatt-Hour = $0.24; $0.24 x 30 days = $7.20).

About the Pedagogy

Engaging data sheets are included.

Activity is very relevant to students' lives.

Students uncover answers for themselves in a project-based format.

Good background material is given for students and educators.

Good links for energy conservation are included with activity.

A rubric is included for assessing student work.

Great links with fun game, and tips for saving energy are part of the lesson.

The activity integrates a good NOVA video clip (4m 33s) from The Big Energy Gamble.

Technical Details/Ease of Use

Activity is well organized and laid out, better than black box online calculators.

Note that NSTAR is now Eversource, and that the sample NSTAR electric bill referred to in Step 3 is no longer available.

Video clip from NOVA's The Big Energy Gamble was not accessible as of October 2016.

High School

Performance Expectations: 1

Disciplinary Core Ideas: 2

HS-ESS3.A2:All forms of energy production and other resource extraction have associated economic, social, environmental, and geopolitical costs and risks as well as benefits. New technologies and social regulations can change the balance of these factors.

HS-ESS3.C2:Scientists and engineers can make major contributions by developing technologies that produce less pollution and waste and that preclude ecosystem degradation.

Cross Cutting Concepts: 4

HS-C5.2:Changes of energy and matter in a system can be described in terms of energy and matter flows into, out of, and within that system.

HS-C5.3:Energy cannot be created or destroyed—only moves between one place and another place, between objects and/or fields, or between systems.

HS-C6.1:Investigating or designing new systems or structures requires a detailed examination of the properties of different materials, the structures of different components, and connections of components to reveal its function and/or solve a problem.

HS-C7.1:Much of science deals with constructing explanations of how things change and how they remain stable.

HS-P3.6:Manipulate variables and collect data about a complex model of a proposed process or system to identify failure points or improve performance relative to criteria for success or other variables.

HS-P4.2:Apply concepts of statistics and probability (including determining function fits to data, slope, intercept, and correlation coefficient for linear fits) to scientific and engineering questions and problems, using digital tools when feasible.

HS-P4.6: Analyze data to identify design features or characteristics of the components of a proposed process or system to optimize it relative to criteria for success.

HS-P7.5:Make and defend a claim based on evidence about the natural world or the effectiveness of a design solution that reflects scientific knowledge and student-generated evidence.

HS-P8.5:Communicate scientific and/or technical information or ideas (e.g. about phenomena and/or the process of development and the design and performance of a proposed process or system) in multiple formats (i.e., orally, graphically, textually, mathematically).